Apparatus for molding hollow concrete blocks



Feb. 12, 1946. w. STANCLIFFE APPARATUS FOR- MOLDING HOLLOW CONCRETE BLOCKS Filed May 24, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Iripentpr CecLL 2071mm 9/ Sfmzelzffe By, MW 1W j A ttorneys Fb. 12, 1946. c. w. STANCLIFFE 4 ii APPARATUS FOR MOLDING HOLLOW C ONCRETE BLOCKS Filed May 24, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Inv entor C c iZ eafigy Hztm cliffe Attorneys Patented Feb. 12, 1946 APPARATUS FOR MOLDING HOLLOW CON- CRETE BLOCKS Cecil Wheatley Stancliffe, Rochester, England Application May 24, 1945, Serial No. 595,497 In Great Britain April 16, 1943 I 3 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of blocks of concrete, mortar, plaster and similar cementitious mixtures or materials from which building blocks can be formed; to save repetition we Will use the term concrete to cover all these mixtures or materials in the remainder of the specification.

The invention provide for the rapid manufacture of concrete blocks and is particularly suitable for making hollow blocks of the kind having inner and outer concrete walls bridged by metal ties.

The object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for making concrete blocks automatically so constructed and arranged that moulds spaced apart from each other move in steps relatively to shoots, hoppers and the like successively past stations at which the following operations are performed: concrete is deposited in the bottoms of the moulds; sand is deposited on the top of the concrete; concrete is deposited on top of the sand and vibrating operations are performed on the tops of the various layers of material.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for making hollow concrete blocks automatically so constructed and arranged that a succession of moulds moves relatively to operating stations and the following operations are performed: concrete is deposited in the bottoms of the moulds; sand is deposited on the concrete; concrete is deposited on top of the sand; tamping or vibrating operations are performed on layers of material between deposits of further layers of material and tie members are driven through the upper concrete and the sand and into the lower concrete.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel improved combinations described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention in a diagrammatic manner, and in which Fig. 1 shows in elevation one form of machine for making slabs Fig. 2 shows a corresponding end view.

Referring to the drawings, a series of moulds with hinged side members I, hinged end members 2 andpallets 3 in the form of steel channel members with webs uppermost are arranged upon trucks 4 with wheels 5 running on rails 6; dotted lines are shown on the mould on the extreme left of Fig. l to show how the side members are moved to release the blocks.

In the form illustrated each truck carries six moulds.

Above the trucks are hoppers 1, 8, 9, H), H, l2

containing respectively facing material (such as gravel or stones of approximately equal size) concrete, cement grout or mortar grout, sand, concrete and cement grout or mortar grout.

Between and beyond the appropriate hoppers, vibrators or tampers l3, l4, l5, is are provided and between the hopper l2 and the vibrator l6 are arranged two plungers I! one arranged in front of the other for inserting ties 48 in pairs between the upper and lower concrete layers D, B of the blocks. These ties are rods of twisted steel and are held in spring-pressed chucks in the plungers I! which are released on the upward stroke of the plungers.

A layer of sand is placed at the bottom of each mould before it reaches the facing material hopper 1. The bottom of this hopper has a closure plate 20 and hinged flaps l9. This closure plate moves transversely under the hopper and cuts off above the flaps I!) in a space I8 a measured quantity of material to be deposited as a layer A at the bottom of the moulds.

Similar closure plates 22, 25, 28 with hinged flaps 23, 26, 29 provide measuring spaces 2|, 24, 21, for the concrete, sand and concrete forming the layers B, C and D respectively of the blocks.

The trucks are moved step by step by appropriate means timed in relation to the means for operating the closure plates, flaps, vibrators and the insertors so that the various stages take place while the moulds are stationary.

The tampers or vibrators l3, l4, IS, IS, as illus trated, are carried by rods 32 passing through guides 3| and have adjustable stops 30 limiting their downward movement.

When the concrete has set the sand layer is allowed to fall away.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for making hollow concrete blocks automatically having a succession of moulds on a carrier moving relatively to operating stations, the combination of means for depositing concrete in the bottoms of the moulds; means for depositing sand on the concrete; means for depositing concrete on top of the sand; and means for driving tie members through the upper concrete, the sand and into the lower concrete.

2. In apparatus for making hollow concrete blocks automatically having a succession of moulds on a carrier moving relatively to operating stations, the combination of means for depositing concrete in the bottoms of the moulds; means for depositing sand on the concrete; means for depositing concrete on top of the sand; means for tamping the top layers of material between deposits of further layers of material; and means for driving tie members through the upper concrete, the sand and into the lower concrete.

3. In apparatus for making hollow concrete blocks automatically having a succession of moulds on a carrier moving relatively to operating stations, the combination of means for depositing concrete in the bottoms of the moulds;

means for depositing sand on the concrete; means for depositing concrete on top of the sand; means for vibrating the top layers of material between deposits of further layers of material; and means for driving tie members through the upper concrete, the sand and into the lower concrete.

CECIL WHEATLEY STANCLIFFE. 

